


where fireflies burn,

by chimera_cosmos



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, M/M, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:00:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27318901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chimera_cosmos/pseuds/chimera_cosmos
Summary: but first, they will spark.Alternatively:Yusuke is a survivor in a post-apocalyptic world and has been tailing someone for a while now.Ren is being followed, but does the follower know he is being tricked?
Relationships: Amamiya Ren & Kitagawa Yusuke, YusuRen (Persona Series)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 12
Collections: Shukita Halloween





	where fireflies burn,

**Author's Note:**

> written for [shukitahalloween](https://twitter.com/shukitahallow) for the au prompt, but super late.
> 
> there's zombies. persona-zombies. mind the tags.

There were always signs of a small fire.

A trail of smoke slithered up to the broken ceiling, dying sparks sighing their last breath on the tips of makeshift-kindling.

Twice he found tracks of this person, and twice he failed to see who was serving themselves a pitiful meal over quiet flames. But he knew they were alive. If fortune smiled upon him, this person would share their food with him if he asked, _begged_. If misfortune chose to sneer with her twisted lips, he’d resort to stealing.

Or worse.

He crushed the remainders of the campfire beneath his boot and looked back at the door. Cold air blasted from outside, sweeping fistfuls of snow onto the abandoned floor of the rotting house. A part of him dreaded walking back under that shower of frigid weather, but the other part urged him on, saying there was something waiting.

And Kitagawa Yusuke didn’t like to keep people locked in anticipation.

The backpack was worn, and through its open side pocket he had jammed an assault rifle through with the barrel facing down. He swerved it on his back and stepped outside. A single dark brown denim jacket and jeans less faded than his pack hardly counted as “warm”. But it was all he thought to grab when he left the base.

‘ _I left already._ ’ Yusuke thought as he retreated to the ice-crusted road. ‘ _I can’t go back._ ’

Further down the street, he caught sight of faded footsteps. Wind whispered over them, hoping to bury them quickly with their secrets, but it was too late. He crouched down next to them, narrowing his eyes against the stinging breeze as he charted out which way they turned.

Straight. Only for a few steps until it turned abruptly right and further into the neighborhood.

A sign depicting a silhouette of a mother and child crossing a street stood at the intersection. It was for cars - for drivers. Something the remaining population had little to worry about. There were lucky people who still had cars that would carry them from place to place with ease. Then there were those luckier than them, who drove cars with working AC and heaters.

Beyond the sign were rows of houses, some two-storied and others without.

He had little need to inspect them when he was following a phantom of a person whose traces were swiftly being covered by winter’s hushed breath.

And finally, at one more turn, they ended.

Specks of snow shaken from their footwear dotted the raised porch.

 _They were here_.

His heart began to beat against his ribs as he stepped carefully towards the door. He pulled at it only for it to catch stubbornly. Yusuke gritted his teeth, hooking both hands into the handle with a foot placed against the frame. He yanked it open, starting when the shōji clapped the wall loudly.

Yusuke whirled around.

The streets were empty.

There were no screams bubbling under the bellows of winter’s howling, racing through the winding neighborhood to send a chill down his spine.

He exhaled shakily and tore his eyes from the empty street before stepping inside. It was marginally warmer, he noticed, but better than the first cabin the person had taken residence in. There was no trace of a fire. Just a tatami mat torn at the edges from years of abandonment.

Yusuke wasn’t sure why he glimpsed back to see if shoes had been left by the entrance. Old customs were hard for him to shake even if he had no reason to partake in them anymore either.

But he saw no snow or leftover traces of it. Whoever took up temporary respite in the house probably left once again.

(It really should have been the first indicator, if not the second.)

When he entered the adjacent room, he froze.

There was a backpack with its mouth parted open. Deep in its belly, he could glimpse the silver of cans winking back in the dim light. Carelessly thrown on the floor next to it was a torn bag of chips and a half-filled bottle of water. There was no one in sight.

His stomach made the decision for him.

 _Be quick_.

Yusuke opened his own bag, transferring their food to his.

The previous idea of finding the person he was tracking and asking to share their supplies suddenly thrown out the window. Another day and night without proper food would make 2 days, and this person obviously had enough to spare, Yusuke assumed, as he extracted can after can. They didn’t have labels, and he’d have to pry them open with a knife, but he’d worry about that later.

He left the chips and water as well as a few cans that had been buried out of his line of sight even though his hunger protested.

Zipping up his newfound treasure, he rose.

The gun’s muzzle pressed into the back of his head.

“You can return that,” the safety trigger of the gun clicked in agreement. “or I’ll have to take it back by force.”

Yusuke felt his own words at the back of his throat, but when he parted his lips to speak, the answer would not come. He breathed carefully, afraid that even a sudden inhale would be enough for this person to end him.

He couldn’t – _wouldn’t_ – turn around. The voice was heavy with promise, not a threat, and though Yusuke had yet to see their face, he imagined they weren’t much older than he was.

“Drop your bag.” (He did.) “Get rid of it.” (He kicked it aside.)

‘ _I can’t die here_ ,’ the thought raced through his mind. ‘ _Not yet. Please—’_

“I needed supplies—”

“We all do.” They answered, and through the panic twisting his mind, Yusuke could tell the owner of the voice belonged to a young man.

‘ _I left some for you,_ ’ he almost said, but that excuse was hollow in his own brain; he couldn’t imagine it out in the open. The truth was he was selfish. He needed to survive. He wanted the food. Amid his thieving, he hadn’t cared for this other person. And now, if he chose the wrong words, he would be munching on lead rather the contents of those mystery cans.

“You’ve been following me.” said the man, and he pressed the gun harder against Yusuke’s head.

There was no point in lying. “I have.”

An exclaim was choked out of him, rattling against his teeth as they stomped into the back of his legs. He crumbled to the floor, his arm was twisted up painfully, and the man’s knee dug into his back. The gun turned its bite to the side of his head.

“Who the hell are you with?” he demanded.

“No one,” Yusuke ground out. When he tried to move, the grip on him tightened. His arm was pressed further up, and a hiss slipped out of him in response. “I’m alone.”

“You’d better not be lying,” the man glowered. “If you’re with him, then I’ll end it for you and leave your corpse for the Corrupted.”

… _Him_? Yusuke almost turned his head to try and look at his assaulter. “I swear I’m alone,” he promised. “Look through my stuff – take it. But I don’t know you.”

Despite his words, Yusuke hoped desperately that this person wouldn’t take his belongings. It was hard to find supplies in fall; it was harder to find them in winter. And without his gun, what else would he have for self-defense?

(but a load of good the rifle was now, lying out of reach.)

Silence crept between them, and his body throbbed where he had been struck.

The weight left his back.

Astonishment raced through him and he pushed himself up on all fours, wincing as pain lanced through his arm. He turned and leaned back on his good hand, facing his captor.

Yusuke wasn’t sure who he was expecting, but it wasn’t _this_.

He had been right to assume they were close in age. Unkempt dark hair that grazed his eyebrows, and eyes cold and hard as the color of steel. His white shirt was faded and torn from travel. Draped over that was a long gray coat with a red symbol stamped at the bottom. It seemed too large for him, touching the ankles of his jeans. His wrist rested over a propped knee, pistol tight in his grip.

“What is it?” he bit out.

Yusuke blinked back. “Sorry…” and he reached for his bag.

“I didn’t say you could take that.”

Annoyance began to prickle at Yusuke. “Would you prefer I stare at you or return your food?” When he didn’t answer, Yusuke dragged his supplies over. Grudgingly, he started returning one can after the other, stacking them on the floor. But he couldn’t blame him; Yusuke would’ve reacted the same way had the situation been reversed.

“Toss it.”

He froze. Then frowned. “Excuse me?”

When he didn’t comply fast enough, the man lunged forward and ripped it from his hands. He took out a can and shook it. “Planning to eat these?” and he tossed it at Yusuke.

Shooting a wary look at him, Yusuke twisted the lid open.

Nails. And… razors.

Long and short, rusted and shining… but all together, a concoction of sharp objects.

His cheeks flushed in mild embarrassment. “I thought it was food.”

The man said nothing, digging through the rest of Yusuke’s bag and taking back what was originally his own. Only when he pulled out a black-leathered journal had Yusuke’s attention snap back to him. “What is this?”

“That’s private.” Yusuke snapped, reaching for it.

“Relax. I don’t care for your diary logs,” The man deadpanned as he placed it aside with disinterest. Then, he paused, reached for it again, and held it out. “Take the damn thing before I change my mind.”

And so he did, clutching it to his chest as he sat back again.

He set the rifle aside. “It’s dangerous to carry it like that.”

“It’s not loaded.”

“That’s even _more_ dangerous. Corrupted don’t wait for their prey to reload.”

“But then wouldn’t I risk filling my foot with bullets?”

Seeming uninterested in carrying the conversation, he returned to Yusuke’s bag. “I was hoping you’d have something useful. No food. A few magazines for your unloaded gun…” he suddenly paused with a frown. Before Yusuke could ask what it was, he had already pulled it out.

Two small, square-shaped foil packets.

“Saving these for a special someone?”

 _Now_ Yusuke blushed, feeling it stretch and expand down his neck. “Th-Those aren’t mine. This bag… it belonged to someone else. Just put them away or get rid of them. Please.”

“Fine,” he put aside the bag. “You’re not carrying anything useful, and…” he pursed his lips, eyes sliding to his meager pile of cans. “…I get why you’re hungry.”

 _‘Starving, actually_.’ Yusuke thought dryly.

He stood, plucked up the chips and and dropped them in Yusuke’s lap. “Eat up.” he directed in the face of Yusuke’s surprise. The earlier curiosity in his voice over the journal and foil packets was gone. “Take a can or two for your travels. But you need to be out by tonight.”

Yusuke nodded and took one carefully. “Thank you.” Stalled by the sudden change of heart, he asked, “What’s your name?” He was rewarded an incredulous look. Maybe this person wasn’t a good person, but Yusuke had his doubts. If he truly had ill intentions, wouldn’t it have made more sense to shoot him or send him back out into the cold?

“You’re quick to trust.” _You shouldn’t be_.

“Who said it was ‘trust’? Is it wrong to want to know the name of the person who helped me?”

He hesitated at first. “It’s… Ren.”

There had been a pause. As if there were a family name that he did not feel comfortable with handing to Yusuke. Family names had little significance when the world was thrown to hell. They were less important when talking to a stranger who was likely to die from a Corrupted invasion the next day.

“My name’s Yusuke,” if Ren wouldn’t say his family name, neither would he. The chips were dried and salty on his tongue and lips, so he drank the water.

“Yusuke…” Ren echoed. He nodded then. “I wouldn’t stay in this area for too long. Scavengers and Corrupted visit this neighborhood quite often.”

“Is this your home?”

Ren scoffed. “No. The only reason I’m here was to see who was following me.”

* * *

Maybe it was wrong, Ren thought, to bait Yusuke the way he did. But the last time he failed to cover his tracks, it ended with a good beating and all his supplies taken. They didn’t take the knife he had jammed between his sock and boot. Ammunition and one of his mentor’s guns suited their tastes far better.

He got it back later of course. When he found one of the scavengers alone.

Was it pride that led him to fall away from his group? Or did the ‘group’ fall apart from fighting over power?

In times like these, there were no alliances. Not even the ‘family’ he once shared gave two shits about anyone but themselves.

Yusuke hadn’t seemed like them.

Yusuke seemed naïve.

It was a name that Ren wouldn’t be needing, and Yusuke would make just as much use out of his own.

He had left shortly after eating, not wanting to intrude, and Ren spared him two cans worth of food.

It wouldn’t be enough payment for the book.

Would Yusuke come storming back through winter’s tempestuous behavior to get it? Or would he curse Ren’s name with each step that froze his flesh as he marched to wherever he was headed?

‘ _Only an idiot would risk his life for a journal_ ,’ and yet here Ren was, reading this very journal he criticized and ridiculed in his mind.

For as well as Yusuke had been tracking and stealing, Ren was better. He failed to notice Yusuke’s presence until recently, so he knew Yusuke couldn’t have been in what was once Yongen-Jaya. But he wasn’t surprised either to see someone else in former Tokyo.

Settlements cropped up with people who shot on sight, or people who foolishly sheltered the lost. Then there were groups, much larger organizations, who believed they were en route to a cure. If there were a way to physically steal the hearts of people, maybe Ren would have believed them too. But though Corruption started in the heart, it was impossible to purge the ‘disease’ from the body unless that very heart was removed.

And what was a human without such a vital organ? They may as well be putting out their lights for as much vaccine-searching accomplished.

It was a shame, he mused while leafing through the journal. The pages were yellowing in some spots and crinkled noisily as they passed along his fingers. In another world, Yusuke would have made a fair artist. There were notes written by almost every drawing, the date and occasionally a little passage about what inspired it stamped on vanished lines.

To still find beauty in a dying world must be a talent. It was one Ren never had nor wanted. He supposed Yusuke was one of the few who truly _did_ have time to stop and smell the flowers… or he was stupid enough to do so.

But something told him not to underestimate this apparent innocence. Yusuke would not have been able to fill out most of the pages if he hadn’t been a survivor. For as useless as his supplies were, Ren believed him when he said the bag had been stolen… and the very same could have been said for the rifle too.

The final drawing was a lone sketch of a doe and her young shrouded by trees and buried ankle-deep in grass.

…Had he _truly_ decided to draw instead of killing them?

‘ _I’m almost envious of his empathy_.’

( _You used to have a lot of that. What happened to it?_ )

He snapped the book shut and shoved it away in his bag. Maybe if he were fortunate to cross paths again, he’d return it. Or maybe Yusuke would follow him again and steal it right back.

There were more important things to do besides worrying about a sketchbook.

In what was once Aoyama-Itchome existed an organization, and that organization took root in an old school formerly known as Shujin Academy. If his sources were correct, there were more people like him, there was shelter and food. No medical fanatics who believed they had the very coding of a cure imprinted in the cells of their egotistical brains. No scavengers who’d beat him within an inch of his life to take what he needed to survive. No Corrupted.

It’s what he wanted to believe.

It’s where he was _told_ to go if something happened.

…and happened it did.

Ren shrugged the overlong coat on his shoulders, abandoning the warmth for the cold. He had no intentions of overstaying his welcome.

The map he swiped off the guy who stole his gun had incoherent scribbles and sloppy writing, but he could make out the small text of city names. ‘ _Aoyama-Itchome, Aoyama-Itchome_ …’

As luck would have it, there were no issues with Corrupted or scavengers when he left the remainder of the village. The sign hanging over the station for Aoyama was faded and worn. If he tried to imagine it, there would be people lined up at the booths or gates, swiping passes or tossing yen into machines for their tickets.

It would be safer to avoid the subway. Splitting his supplies with Yusuke had left him with another risk he couldn’t afford to take. More nights on the road would be his downfall, and he needed more ammo.

For years, the walls of the subway stood strong. The colors were faded and gray, the pattern offset with bursting graffiti at some intervals and bare in others. Rust collected and twisted the tracks beyond recognition. The stairs were missing a few steps and he dared not touch the railing with its tarnished ends. When he reached the endless tunnel of the subway, he did not flick on his light. Not until he was much deeper and he knew there was no one around.

When the abyss consumed him both forward and back, he switched on the light. It pierced the darkness with a beam that hardly touched the further walls. The map promised of an exit further in this direction, but trusting shadows would always be intimidating.

Before there was his mentor, but now—

‘ _Stop. Just keep going._ ’ He couldn’t let his thoughts or doubts take him.

Later, he wondered if it was the light that drew their attention.

Ren heard them before he saw them. He threw his arms up just as the metal rod swam in a wide arc, colliding into his forearms and sending a jolt of agony that shook him to his very core. He reached for the metal, seeing a man’s face in the erratic spray coming from the flashlight.

He was taller than Ren, but not by much, and it was staring a second too long that got him a kick to the gut.

The wind burst out of him as he landed on his back. His light bounced free from its holster, skittering somewhere across the ground. Shadows danced chaotically on the gray walls.

Another grabbed his leg and he lashed back, scrambling away from his assaulter. Hope fluttered in his chest as his foot contacted their face. Something _crunched_ beneath the sole of his boot followed by a short scream.

“What the fuck are you doing?! Get that damn brat!”

His heart raced, and he drew his gun, firing wildly as the light gave him another glimpse of the man’s face.

The bullet exploded from its muzzle, narrowly missing its target.

A second person shot out of the darkness and pinned his wrists to the side, prying at his hands for the gun.

Pain erupted in his back, coaxing a sharp cry out of him and loosening his grip. The gun was ripped free and someone else grabbed his other arm. Whoever they were, they both had him pinned to the ground and at their mercy.

“Get the fuck off of me!” Ren snarled, twisting and writhing in their combined grip. He was given a sudden blow to his left leg in response, tearing a scream from his lips.

“ _Shut up_!”

The head of the rod blinked into existence before it crashed into his face. His teeth tore into his lip and everything grew dizzying and it all just fucking _hurt_ …

He was dimly aware of the warm wetness on his forehead and sinking against his eyebrows when it came down again. Consciousness was beginning to slip, but he dared not even _blink_ with these people around him.

“Enough!” the first voice exclaimed. “Don’t kill him, Christ’s sake…”

“He broke my fucking nose!”

“It ain’t broken, stop bitchin’.”

Light – from _his_ flashlight – spilled onto him, and through narrowed vision he could see one of them better. Black hair, dark shades with the frame split from fighting.

“…Tsuda?” Ren choked out.

Tsuda had the decency to look mildly surprised. “So he spoke about me, huh?”

He didn’t answer. His uninjured leg bent before shooting out in a weak kick, missing Tsuda who backed away with ease.

“That’s not fair, now is it? Don’t you owe us a chance to share our side of the story?”

“I don’t owe you anything.” Ren shot back.

The one with the busted nose had his hands cupped over his face. Dark rivulets of blood seemed to have left traces on his fingers and down his wrists. “Quit playing with your prey, and let’s head back—”

The sound of gunshot ricocheted off the walls and blood spit from the hole in his forehead.

Calmly, Tsuda holstered his gun.

“…What the hell’s wrong with you?” Ren hissed against the growing fear in his stomach. Tsuda had planted that seed when he attacked him in the dark, and he was doing what he could to make it grow. The other two holding him down didn’t seem to flinch. “…All of you?”

“He’s right. Abandoned subways are hardly a place to talk.”

And with a jerk of his head, someone grunted in answer.

The last thing Ren saw was a flash of metal before the rod crashed into his skull.

.

.

When he came to, he was instantly stunned by the light bursting from the top of the stairs. They were still in the subway, it seemed, and had not forgotten to restrain him to the foot of a broken bench.

His head throbbed, his body ached, and his left eye was swollen. Blood was in his mouth and he spat to the side, wincing as the motion tugged at his split lip.

And the Corrupted tied next to him screeched and snapped at his face.

Ren fell back, as well as someone _could_ fall back with their hands bound behind them and unable to stand.

The bench was long enough to keep them separated, and the Corrupted was tied to the other end around its wrists. It didn’t have a lower body, and he could still see bits of a human body underneath the fleshy surface of a brown, orange monster with a mouth full of jagged teeth. Its leathery skin grew over where eyes should have been. Protruding from its head were thick ‘antennae’ that stretched down to its torso.

He realized with dawning horror that at the tips of the antennae were eyes.

“You’re awake now.”

Ren glared up as Tsuda approached, but his eyes darted back to the growling Corrupted.

“Don’t worry; it won’t kill you as long as you cooperate.”

The subway was filled with the quiet mumblings of the Corrupted. His mind ran with scenarios of it escaping, and just how the _hell_ he was going to combat it if it did. One bite and it would be over; he’d end up like one of those.

Tsuda’s boot came down on his leg, and Ren yelped. His wrists twisted behind his back. ‘ _Damn you… You’d better hope I don’t break out of this, you fuck—’_

“Eyes up here, Amamiya,” a sneer twisted his lips. “Or are you going by ‘Iwai’?”

Something inside his chest pinched. If he could’ve shot Tsuda then, he would have. “You have no right to speak about him.” He glowered.

“I believe I do.” The map unfurled in his hand, displaying locations circled in red. “Now, you’ve been traveling with him for quite some time. It’s not often one of us leaves without notice. But he was after something. You’re going to tell me where it is.”

Denial leapt up his throat, but when he went to protest, nothing came out.

Tsuda noticed too. “You let this man drag you all over Japan, and you had no idea what his motive was?”

When he was with Iwai, they were always looking for someone. Iwai referred to them as an acquaintance, said that they were sheltering someone who needed protecting, who needed to be kept away from the scientists.

But when it came to an end, and when Ren took his coat as a memento, Iwai told him to go to Aoyama-Itchome.

That was it. No more searching for this nameless “someone”. And Ren had doubts even _Iwai_ knew their name.

_(“You survive. Don’t piss me off by getting yourself killed.”)_

“Let me tell you something, Amamiya…” Tsuda said slowly. “This world is shit. We’re all going to die either at the hands of each other, or by these things that’ve decided to crawl back up from the earth we tried to bury it under.” He gripped Ren’s chin, jerking his head in the direction of the Corrupted. If Ren looked closely, he could see how the monster's jawline had already started molding into its own torso. “Unless you want to become _that_ , you’re gonna spill everything you know.”

“Maybe if you hadn’t killed him…”

“We know it wasn’t my intention to kill him.” Tsuda cut off. “You're not Iwai no matter how much you dress like him or use his weapons. He didn’t break easily", he placed his hand atop Ren's head. "but you will.”

Ren exclaimed as Tsuda dragged him by his hair, closer to the Corrupted who stirred with renewed life. Its feeler-like eyes shot up, stretching out for him and touching his face and neck.

“Who was with you in Yongen-Jaya?”

… _What_? “No one…!” he answered truthfully, yet he was brought closer.

“Lying won’t do you any good. There was unfinished business Iwai had in that district. Who was he sheltering?”

But they _hadn’t_ stopped there for long. Nobody was there…!

The Corrupted’s rancid breath hit his face, the scream began to bubble in his throat—

A clap of gunshot burst in the open space of the subway.

Tsuda stopped and looked over his shoulder. Ren looked just in time to see the second man Tsuda was with fall to the ground, blood pooling out from under him. The first one laid dead on the stairs, his eyes and mouth open as if he had just seen their killer.

“Stand back!” Yusuke shouted, gun poised and finger on the trigger.

_What the hell…?_

“Kid,” Tsuda started, and he gripped Ren harder. “You’re going to put that down before your little friend here becomes Corrupted food.”

“I’ll shoot you first,” and though his threat was strong, Ren could hear the unease. “Let him go, and we’ll both leave.”

Laughter, harsh and strong, expelled from Tsuda’s lips. “I’ve heard that one before.” But then, he paused. “Wait… are you…?”

His grip slackened, sliding from Ren’s head, and it was all the time he needed. Tsuda’s flesh and blood filled his mouth, stinging his tongue as he bit the edge of his hand. Over the ringing in his head, he could hear Tsuda’s responding shout, feel his fingers at his cheek before it became a fist that battered his bruised eye. But he didn’t let go. Not when he could feel Tsuda’s little finger crumble and give way between his teeth.

Just as he was tugged once more towards the Corrupted, Yusuke fired.

Tsuda fell on him, between him.

The Corrupted tore at his face with its fangs, jaw stretching as it swallowed each scream that was wrought out of him. Skin came away stringy, peeled away from his skull and glinting on its teeth. Gore and blood clung to its lips, and up close, Ren glimpsed the whiteness of bone peeking out from _somewhere_.

Yusuke tugged him to his feet, and he realized he had been cut free. “Hurry!”

Ren jumped as his bag was shoved into his hands. He saw Yusuke’s wide eyes, terror plastered to his face, and he nodded. “O-Okay…”

They abandoned the subway with the screams of the Corrupted and Tsuda at their back.

* * *

For a while, Yusuke felt as if he couldn’t breathe. His lungs were locked down from the anxiety and adrenaline, his teeth ground so hard he thought they would _crack_

(just like the first man who he took out with a knife to the throat. _Crack_ , went his skull, right on the hard steps of an abandoned subway.)

but he could hear – feel – someone holding his face, saying his name gently yet firm.

Ren looked worse than he did, and Yusuke cursed himself for not showing up sooner. He was also a fool to have not packed up on more medical supplies when he left the base. So they fled to an old pharmacy on Central Street. He was not surprised to see most of the shelves a mess.

“Thank you,” Ren said softly once Yusuke had calmed down. “Are you okay?”

He let out a one-note, mirthless laugh. “I should be asking you that…”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve… been through worse. A lot worse.” A story for another day.

“Who was that man— who were _they_?”

‘ _Who are you?_ ’ he wanted to ask.

Ren licked his lower lip, flinched, then came to sit down next to him. “That was the guy I thought you were with. Been following me and…” he paused with reluctance. “…never mind. Guess between you and him, I’ve got quite a few fans out there.”

He hadn’t meant it in offense, but Yusuke felt his face pinch in mild irritation as he quipped, “I’m _not_ like him.”

“I didn’t mean it that way,” Ren assured, but he sighed. He touched his face gingerly. “Fuck…”

“You shouldn’t do that. You’ll irritate it.”

“I know.”

Yusuke wasn’t sure what to say to that, so he remained quiet.

“Where were you headed?”

He looked at Ren, confused. It was odd, that despite how beat up Ren looked, he didn’t look as wounded as someone else may have. Yusuke wondered what violence he witnessed before they met. “I… I don’t know. The ones that are left try to survive, but there’s little place to take up residence that’s safe. Much like you, I’d imagine, I’ll be fighting for the rest of my life.”

At least until something killed him.

“You too, then…” it wasn’t a question. “Before I got attacked, I was on the way to Aoyama-Itchome. Not sure if anything is still there, but it’s a lead.”

Aoyama… That name sounded familiar. But to his frustration, he could not place _where_ he heard it.

“Yusuke, if you have nowhere else to go… Why not come with me?”

He regarded him warily. “You would trust me so soon?” he asked, throwing Ren’s words from earlier back at him.

“I don’t think someone who just killed three men to save me is worthy of my suspicion.” Ren massaged his scalp, and Yusuke was reminded how crudely Tsuda had been jerking him around by his hair next to that Corrupted.

The Corrupted that was no doubt finishing the rest of its meal.

Bile rose in his throat. Yusuke had seen Corrupted bite people, but not _feast_ on them the way that one did. He knew better than to stay for the entire show.

But Ren was offering a fair deal, and he wondered if it was all in gratitude for saving him.

And if he didn’t like whatever may be waiting for them at Aoyama-Itchome, he could always run. Like last time.

Though it would be rude to spit on Ren’s generosity in such a way.

“Fine,” he said. “Two heads are better than one, after all.”

Ren smirked, and the light upward curl at the corner of his lips, the way his eyes slanted (even the one nearly swollen shut), made Yusuke’s face warm just slightly. He wasn’t sure why though and didn’t think more of it. “You’re right. Though, just fifteen more minutes. We still need to be on guard out here.”

Yusuke wasn’t about to protest.

He rested his forehead against his knees, shutting his eyes tightly and trying to drown out that scene of the Corrupted again and again…

“Oh, Yusuke…”

“Hm?” he looked up.

“…Never mind. I’ll tell you later. Get your 5-minute naptime in.”

‘ _It’s impossible to fall asleep that quickly._ ’ Yusuke almost protested, but maybe he did drift off because when Ren shook him, it was as if he were waking up.

It was okay though.

He wasn’t walking alone this time.

**Author's Note:**

> though marked as complete, may revisit this world later because i had fun making it, and there was too much info and background to cram into one one shot, esp if this was gonna be on time. originally yusuke was gonna be the one held captive and nom off tsuda's finger, but yusuke's a big boy despite what some believe; he can kick ass and take names if push came to shove.  
> but there were bigger plans for yusuke. ren also didn't return the journal in this. don't forget those shiny foil packets too, wink wink nudge nudge.  
> tl;dr: if it was confusing, yeeaaaaah that's because the stuff i wanted was too much for a one shot, so i just got up the first half. and the rest may not be shared, so guess it depends if this is an au that piqued interest and if i have enough care to continue it between other stuff.
> 
> ciao.


End file.
